1869.] GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 73 



feet, on either side of which are two openings, one five feet by 

 twelve feet, twenty-two feet in depth, the othor two feet by three 

 feet, and forty-five feet in depth. The floors of these lower cavi- 

 ties are covered with fine sand, and on every side are to be seen 

 beautiful stalactites. On the right and left of the main passages 

 of this well are to be observed several smaller passages, which from 

 their narrowness, are entered with difficulty. The entire cavern 

 presents a water-worn appearance, more or less smooth on the sur- 

 face, of a light gray color, and considerably excavated at intervals. 

 Here and there, in each chamber, particularly from the ceilings, 

 are to be seen rough projecting portions of rock of various shapes 

 and composed chiefly of quartzite, pyroxeue, serpentine, iron 

 pyrites, and various mineral ingredients peculiar to the Crystalline 

 Laurentian limestone formations. In many parts of the cave the 

 walls, particularly those to the right of each chamber entered^ 

 were covered with moderately uniform sheets of carbonate of lime- 

 The cavern is entered by descending on talus or broken rock ; this 

 is succeeded by a floor, partly flat, smooth and presenting also a 

 water-worn appearance. Generally speaking, the floor is uneven 

 and strewed with fragments of rock of various sizes, more or less 

 mixed up with broken stalactites and shelved portions of carbonate 

 of lime. The entire cave, excepting the entrance, is perfectly 

 devoid of light ; the atmosphere moist, but exceedingly pure, even 

 to the extent of our explorations, and a uniform temperature of 

 about 45° Fahrenheit. The only organic remains so far discov- 

 ered were those of the Vulpes Vulgaris or common fox, Ca.stor 

 Fiber (Lin) or Beaver, Lutra Vulgaris (Lin) or Otter, and a few 

 drift shells. From the purity of atmosphere in the entire cave, 

 the opinion formed from that fact is, that any accumulating 

 carbonic acid is absorbed by water in some part of the unexplored 

 portion of the cave, and it is not unlikely that parts already 

 visited are only an entrance to vast labyrinths yet to be explored." 

 It is to be hoped that Dr. Grant will pursue the exploration of 

 this cave ; more especially with the view of ascertaining '.vherher 

 any remains of pre-historic man, or of post pliocene animals occur 

 in the accumulation on its floors. j. w. D. 



Geological Time.— Mr. Croll, of the Geological Survey of 

 Scotland, has published a series of suggestive articles in the 

 Philosophical Magazine on the "Date of the Glacial and the 

 Upper Miocene Period." He presents a number of very 



